1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a trunk lid cover for the bed of a pickup, pivotally attaching to the pickup bed near the cab with piston lifters attaching the cover to the sides of the pickup to apply force pushing the cover upwards when lifted, the cover extending to the tailgate section of the pickup bed, replacing the tailgate. The cover engages the tailgate closure mechanism on the pickup bed to form a secure closure, with the vertical portion of the cover including a hinged license plate attachment under which a keyed or coded security lock is located, with running lights and accent lights which integrate with the electrical system of the pickup.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to pickup bed storage devices, some incorporated within the pickup bed and others modifying the pickup bed. Most recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,232 to Davis discloses a removable vehicle bed cover attaching to the upper rails of a pickup bed, covering the top of the pickup bed with a hinged panel and a fixed panel. This patent is distinguished from the present invention in that it merely covers the top opening of the pickup bed and does not enclose and conform to the entire pickup bed nor does it provide a complete and self contained enclosure in and of itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,012 to Saffold discloses a removable storage trunk for trucks, the device forming basically a five sided device attached to and inserted at the rear portion of the pickup bed, with the pickup tailgate serving as the closure for the enclosure, with a weather seal applied at a front surface of the device engaging the inside of the tailgate of the truck. This invention is distinguished from the present invention as the present invention requires the removal of the pickup tailgate to install the present invention, the present invention also providing a complete and self contained enclosure in and of itself.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,768 to Saffold discloses a portable trunk lid, primarily for a Jeep Wrangle, but also adapted for other vehicle having open bed compartments, the device having a top wall and a front wall, with the top wall having partial side walls engaging the sides of the compartment to which they are applied. Again it is distinguished from the present invention as it does not provide a complete and self contained enclosure in and of itself.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,474 to Daley, a pickup load body is disclosed apparently replacing and being integrated into the side panels of a conventional pickup bed, providing multiple tool storage compartments within the sides of the pickup bed, while leaving the inner compartment of the pickup bed open and unoccupied. The device discloses the lids of the storage compartments having an upper hinged lid which serves as the outer side panel of the pickup bed. This is distinguishable from the present invention, the present invention inserting completely within the bed of the pickup, installing and uninstalling without requiring modification of the standard pickup bed.
A storage compartment located between the pickup cab and pickup bed having a hinged lid accessed from the side of the pickup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D366,448 to Ney, appearing to mount directly to the frame of the pickup, forming a complete and self contained enclosure, but it does not fit within a pickup bed without modification to the pickup bed and chassis. If this device was removed, there would be a space between the cab and the pickup bed.
A storage box with a sliding cover sliding side to side is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,771 to Ingerson, but its primary purpose is to provide the enclosure without interfering with a fifth wheel hitch and trailer attached to the bed of the pickup. This invention is distinguished from the current invention in that the current invention cannot be used with a fifth wheel trailer or hitch, since the current invention completely fills the entire pickup bed, which would not allow access to any fifth wheel trailer or hitch.
The primary objective of the invention is to provide a trunk lid cover which attaches to a pickup truck bed at the cab end of the pickup bed, similar to the tonneau cover currently on the market for pickup beds, with the exception of this cover not only covering the pickup bed along the top rails of the pickup bed, but also replacing the tailgate of the pickup, with the ability to adapt to the existing closure means of the pickup tailgate to close the trunk lid cover securely over the pickup bed.
A second aspect of the current cover is to provide a secure locking means, either through a keyed lock or an electronic keypad lock, hidden beneath the automobile tag, allowing for security in the contents stowed within the pickup bed.
A third objective of the invention is to provide the device in an aesthetic embodiment having the appearance of the trunk of a sedan on a pickup with the various utility aspects of the trunk lid cover mentioned above, the trunk lid cover having a horizontal portion engaging the upper side rails of the pickup bed and a vertical portion, smoothly attached to the horizontal portion, engaging the tailgate area of the pickup bed, with a weather-sealed perimeter to deter weather intrusion into the pickup bed.